Roger had persuaded Georgina to go out for a drink before they hit the streets again.
"I'll come too, the pimps are after her," Crash said.
Georgina smiled the other girls had really scared him, he didn't want to be alone with them.
"No Crash, I'll look after Georgina, you look after these lovely ladies."
The girls eyes swiveled towards Lola waiting for a comment, there was none. Lola obviously had little intention of revisiting her earlier dalliance.
Crash looked doubtful, he didn't trust the girls without Georgina also he didn't want to embarrass Rags about his leg but if Georgina was hurt he couldn't stay. He raised his eyebrow. Roger reached into his pocket and pulled out his revolver.
"Happy now Mush?"
"Come on Georgina, we might catch a dance at the Palais."
Roger grabbed her coat and swung it on her shoulders.
They did catch the dance. Roger was self conscious about his leg but Georgina took the lead, the mans role, and supported him so he looked magnificent. The man usually controlled the dance yet even with Roger in the lead position she still managed to control the dance. It did demand greater contact but Roger had no complaints.
Looking magnificent in Georgina's arms did not attract any attention, Roger observed even the eyes of the women followed Georgina, so graceful was she. He thought of his brother, if she fought like she danced she would be formidable.
He smiled to himself, he cared not a jot about who admired whom. He was in Georgina's arms he could feel her body firmly pressed against his as she guided him around the floor. Her moves always favored his good side, she controlled his body so surreptitiously that only a ballroom champion would have noticed.
Happily weary they left the dance hall and set off for Soho.
"Did you have any success today gaining new acolytes?"
Roger knew about the blow in and was as concerned as Crash.
"Not really, no one for the Hogarth Club."
Reading between the lines Roger asked, "Where were you successful?"
Georgina smiled up at him, he loved her smile it filled the full real estate of her face, it left no empty blocks.
"Octavian arranged with the Women's Land Army to take any girls that are willing. I gave them five pounds a good feed and some clothes before they shipped out."
"How many were willing?"
"All but my Vicarite."
"Vicarite?"
"Yes Reggie called my vicarious visitor a vicarite."
"She is as inventive with her words as she is with her technology. My contact at the factory, where she's building her camera, wants to employ her."
"I'll tell her."
"Why, she might go?"
"The tighter you hold the things you love, the less likely they are to stay. Like mercury they will slither through your fingers and leave you with a handful of regret."
He nodded, there was a lesson there.
'Here, we'll take a short cut."
Roger steered them down Wilder Walk it cut the block to Strumpet Street, really Denman and Sherwood Streets, the area where the street-girls paraded their wares.
Roger heard a click behind him, without thought he pushed Georgina hard, she fell and hit her head against the wall. A gun exploded and a searing pain followed the slug which hit his arm, where Georgina had been seconds earlier.
Roger held his arm and screamed in pain.
"Look whose got the gun now?" Wiry man said.
He walked up with Muscle Thug. Roger went to reach for the man with his good arm but screamed again, overcome with pain her cradled the damaged arm again.
"Ah... a broken humerus isn't humorous," said Wiry laughing at his own joke. Knowing Roger was effectively incapacitated. A broken humerus was agony unless it was supported he knew if Roger let go of the damaged arm he would likely feint.
"You saved her life briefly," he said as he sighted the gun on Georgina.
"She's just a slut," Roger said, "but God!... she a sweet fuck."
Georgina was coming round, Roger's words were the first thing she heard.
"Cover him," Wiry said to Muscles.
"Good fuck eh... show me your wares whore."
He reached for Georgina's collar and tugged it hard the buttons flew from her blouse and clattered on the ground. Swapping his gun to the left hand her reached for her breast.
Roger had given her a chance, he hoped she had sufficiently recovered from her knock or he had condemned her to ignominy before death.
Georgina intercepted Wiry's groping hand, with a firm grip she ducked under his arm pit, he spun to avoid his arm being ripped from his shoulder.
Roger was amazed at Georgina's speed, as soon as the half nelson was applied she kicked the back of his legs so he fell. She didn't let go of his arm though. Roger thought the loud crack of his shoulder dislocating was the spur to Muscle's action. He spun the gun around to Georgina but before he could pull the trigger Roger's elbow broke his nose.
In fluid motion Georgina let go of the dislocated limb and grabbed his collar. Using it as leverage she pushed her thumbs into his carotid arteries. She held them only long enough to cause unconsciousness rather than death. When he slumped at her feet, Roger was slipping the handcuffs on Muscles. He threw a pair to Georgina who disregarded the dislocated limb and fitted them snugly on Wiry's wrists.
"So I'm a slut and a sweet fuck?" Georgina said, with a raised eyebrow. She was not even panting.
Checking the thugs were fully disabled Roger walked over to Georgina pulled her to him and kissed her with passion.
"Oh Yes waiting is killing me but you will be sugar coated. I will lick that away to get to your core and slurp on your syrup and die in honeyed heaven."
Georgina kissed back, he could taste her sweetness. Breaking the kiss he pulled her damaged blouse together, his careless hands brushed her breasts.
"Mr Eloquent, your arm soon got better?"
"You kissed it better, nothing could defy the restorative power of your lips. How did you know?"
"Your ham acting, and the blood was in the wrong place."
"Ham acting," he said indignantly.
"Your rosy complexion gave you away."
"Oh..." he said, before he kissed her again.
"Leave the slut and stand against the wall with your hands up."
They obeyed.
"Super spy and your Earlship, I am arresting you both for assault."
Roger slowly reached for his gun, "You'll have trouble explaining how you managed to shoot an Earl, Dodson, you duck-board harrier. Running messages for their boss?"
He nodded at the two disabled thugs.
"I'm no one's messenger, and if you keep pulling, you ARE dead."
"Let the gun go Roger," Georgina whispered.
He did, with no further consideration.
"Wise, Sergeant Waverley, cuff him. I'll do her."